Soft
by Nyan Nyan Soup
Summary: Soft. That was all O'Brien could think about as Judai's lips gently pressed against his own. He still couldn't believe such a thing was actually happening. In one moment he and Judai were just talking. In the next they fell silent. One more and they were staring at each other. By the last Judai leaned forward. And now here they were, leaving O'Brien unable to think about anything


_Soft_.

That was all O'Brien could think about as Judai's lips gently pressed against his own. He still couldn't believe such a thing was actually happening. In one moment he and Judai were just talking. In the next they fell silent. One more and they were staring at each other. By the last Judai leaned forward. And now here they were, leaving O'Brien unable to think about anything other than how soft Judai's lips were.

How could he think about anything else anyway? Was he supposed to think about something else? He'd never kissed anyone before, let alone even thought about it. He never felt anything close to romantic for another person before. He hadn't even felt anything for Judai until the very moment they both stopped talking and looked at each other. It may have been Judai that initiated it, but they both were thinking the same thing.

They cared about one another.

O'Brien was only supposed to check in on Judai. His friends at the academy were worried about him after all. He was spending so much time cooped up in his dorm room and no one could get him to leave. O'Brien just dropped by to discuss some things with the headmaster, but he had to admit when he heard about how Judai was acting he got a bit worried himself.

He knew Judai went through a lot not too long ago. O'Brien didn't really know how to help with that, but he wanted to try talking with Judai anyway. However, he didn't expect the two of them to pour out their hearts and souls to one another. They really did end up talking about so much. In such a short time they came to understand each other better than anyone else in the entire world. Each others' individual struggles in life, their fears, their hopes for the future, their beliefs, how much they cared about the other.

Right. They cared. They cared about each other. They grew from two duelists facing off against the other to two allies in a fight for survival, to a friend trying to save the other. And now where were they? They didn't really talk much about their time in the other dimension. Of course, it was clear Judai didn't want to think about that and obviously O'Brien didn't want to force him to. But O'Brien still wanted to know what Judai thought of him after all that.

Maybe he already had the answer.

Perhaps this kiss was Judai's way of sharing that answer with O'Brien without having to use words to express it. But a kiss could mean anything. And O'Brien had to admit he could be a shy person at times. He felt a tad too nervous to immediately claim this kiss was meant to express romantic feelings.

But wait…

O'Brien already admitted to himself that it was romantic for him. He acknowledged that he must have been feeling something romantic for Judai the moment they stopped and looked at each other. The feeling that overcame him when he locked eyes with Judai. It was the culmination of everything he began to understand about himself and Judai while they talked. It must have been the same for Judai then… right? Otherwise why would Judai kiss him?

O'Brien was still too nervous. He didn't want to say Judai must have romantic feelings for him simply because he kissed O'Brien, no matter how true that may seem. Because, what if by some twist of fate he turned out to be wrong? What if Judai was just losing himself in the moment and acting on an impulse that would ultimately mean nothing? What if the second Judai pulled away he apologized and claimed he didn't mean anything by it? What if Judai didn't feel the same way?

What if Judai didn't love him back?

Wait, did O'Brien love Judai? Well, like he already admitted to twice now, these definitely were romantic feelings. But did having romantic feelings mean he also loved Judai? He loved his parents. He loved dueling. He could love Judai too. No, wait. That wasn't the same kind of love. O'Brien _loved_ Judai. He loved Judai in a way that made his heart flutter and his face turn red. Nothing else had ever made him feel that way before. This was a new kind of love he hadn't experienced yet. The romantic kind of love. The love he felt towards Judai.

And in an instant it disappeared.

Judai pulled his lips away and O'Brien was snapped from his thoughts. He couldn't tell what his face looked like, but he assumed he looked surprised and possibly even confused. He managed to figure out a lot of his own feelings in such a short amount of time, but he was still uncertain about Judai's. Any moment now Judai would say something. He would have to. O'Brien couldn't find the words to say a single thing. It was up to Judai to let O'Brien know where things would go from here.

It finally dawned on O'Brien what Judai's face looked like. He was too focused on himself to notice, but finally paying attention to Judai's face, he felt his own start burning up. There was a light blush across Judai's cheeks and the softest look in his eyes that O'Brien had ever seen. It was clear that neither of them could stop staring at each other.

O'Brien wondered if it would be okay to lean in and steal another kiss. He liked the first one too much. He didn't want things to end there. But he needed to know how Judai felt first. He needed to know the first one wasn't a fluke to Judai. He needed to know if Judai wanted to kiss again.

And then O'Brien felt something rub against his fingers. His gaze dropped down to see Judai's hand sliding over his own. O'Brien flipped his palm over and the two locked hands. It, too, felt soft. Everything about Judai was soft. From his lips, to the look in his eyes, to the feel of his hands. It was almost too much for O'Brien to handle since he never had contact like that with someone else before. He didn't know how to keep in everything it made him feel.

Just as O'Brien looked back up to Judai's eyes, he heard the brunet finally break the silence in the room.

_"I love you."_

O'Brien's eyes widened. He couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe he was actually hearing it. He was so scared it wouldn't be true, but it was. Judai loved him too. The kiss wasn't a mistake. It was real and genuine and a true expression of the way they now felt for each other. The way O'Brien wanted them to stay forever. And he needed to let Judai know he felt the same way.

O'Brien gently lifted his free hand up to place his thumb against Judai's cheek. He let his fingers slide behind Judai's ear and into his hair. Even his hair was soft was too. Ignoring that the best he could, O'Brien caressed Judai's cheek. He could feel Judai lean into his hand and it made O'Brien freeze for a second.

It was too much. It was all too much. He couldn't take how he suddenly felt. It was all new and there was so much of it. He wasn't used to it yet and he couldn't keep it all bottled up.

He needed Judai to know.

O'Brien quickly leaned forward and this time he was the one pressing his lips against Judai's. It wasn't as soft as Judai's kiss was. Although, he didn't know what he was doing to begin with. He only had his first ever kiss just moments ago and he wasn't even the one to initiate it. He was worried he was too sudden. He didn't want to be forceful. That was the last thing he wanted.

His concerns were erased though once he felt Judai's hands gripping at his shoulders. They snaked further up and around his neck, causing Judai to pull O'Brien closer in. A moan escaped from the brunet and O'Brien had to pause. He made Judai moan. He did that. It was proof that Judai was enjoying the moment. And it was proof that he was enjoying it with O'Brien.

Without a moment's notice, Judai parted from O'Brien and the two realized they were falling. They had been sitting against the base of the bunk beds, but they must have moved around so much that there was no longer anything behind Judai to keep them supported. So with a thud Judai fell against the floor and O'Brien loomed over him, a bit disoriented himself from the emotions that flooded his head.

O'Brien simply stared at Judai. He was worried about the brunet, but he wasn't sure if that was clear on his face or not. Judai just stared back at O'Brien before a smile spread across his face and he started laughing. It was so nice to see Judai smile again. O'Brien was worried he might not ever see it again, but there it was. Still as beautiful as always. But… O'Brien was still curious over why Judai was laughing.

And so he asked.

_"Why are you laughing?"_

Judai paused his laughter and reached his hands up to cup O'Brien's face.

_"Isn't it obvious? We're in love."_

O'Brien blinked at Judai a couple of times.

_"We are?"_

Judai tilted his head to the side a bit.

_"Well, aren't we? I know I love you."_

O'Brien felt a twinge in his chest at hearing those words.

_"And I love you, Judai."_

Judai smiled again.

_"Then we're in love, Austin."_

O'Brien leaned down to share a third kiss with Judai.


End file.
